Band 7+: Some people believe that universities should focus on providing students with practical skills for future employment. Others, however, think that universities should primarily focus on academic knowledge, regardless of its usefulness for jobs.

People hold divergent views on which skills universities should focus on. While some people believe that practical skills are necessary to teach to prepare students for employment, others argue that intellectual growth and critical thinking should be the main priority. This essay will discuss both perspectives before explaining why I believe that practical skills are more important.

On the one hand, there are several reasons why some people believe that practical skills are important. The foremost reason is the increasing speed of work in industry. If students learn more about industrial work and new technologies and do practical projects on them, they can gain hands-on experience. Companies should hire these talented students, and without a training period, they can work on real-world projects. As a result, it saves a company time and money spent on training individuals.

On the other hand, others argue that intellectual growth and critical thinking should be taught. The primary reason is that it increases the economy. Thinking deeply about some ideas enhances productivity and solves problems. For instance, if a business remains stable and does not grow, it can hire an intellectual thinker who identifies the main difficulty. They can resolve this issue, and the company starts growing. As a result, these companies become successful and contribute to the country’s GDP. Intellectual development also helps personal development. People can develop their own business and become independent. If they learn about entrepreneurship, doing business, focusing on business ideas, and improving communication skills, this helps them to become successful in every corner and career they want. They become a top choice for companies.

In conclusion, although intellectual development and critical thinking increase the economy and help people become independent, I believe that practical skills are more essential. This increases the speed of work in industry, and while employed, they can learn these skills. Therefore, universities should focus on practical skills.